Maybe I’m not the optimal reviewer for “The Hobbit,” but it’s the major film of the week, with Warner Brothers having persuaded its competitors that the box office only has room for one big epic release.
First of all, I’ve never read the J.R.R. Tolkien novels and I barely made it through the first film of “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy.
Now along comes “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” which is a prequel to “The Lord of the Rings,” or so I believe, since the action takes place 60 years earlier.
The thought of watching a prequel stirred dread in my soul, if only because George Lucas, it can be fairly said, ruined the whole notion with the dreadful “Star Wars” prequels.
Being a novice to this whole Tolkien business, I was pleasantly surprised that “The Hobbit,” at least to this uninitiated amateur, was much more entertaining than I reasonably expected.
Still, director Peter Jackson appeared to be in no rush during the film’s opening act to get things moving at a decent pace. Instead, there is a lumbering amount of exposition to set up the raft of characters.
Nevertheless, for the apprentice viewer, there is much to be established, and aside from Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Wizard, it’s easy to get lost and fail to distinguish between the dwarves, elves and trolls.
Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) lives a contented, peaceful existence in his cozy home of Bag End in the Shire. You see, Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys the complacency and quiet enjoyment of his wooded paradise.
Meanwhile, a group of 13 rowdy dwarves, led by the stoic, legendary warrior Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), seeks to reclaim their lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome Dragon Smaug.
To this end, the warrior dwarves, who are apparently unfamiliar with basic hygiene, show up at Baggins’ little Hobbit home, barging in as uninvited dinner guests.
The party crashers are all part of the Wizard Gandalf the Grey’s (Ian McKellan) plan to draft the reluctant Baggins into a journey that will travel through the badlands of Middle-earth.
The destination lies somewhere to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, but to get there the group has to travel though some really treacherous lands, where constant peril abounds.
This is where it gets interesting. After an initial slow pace, the action heats up with many battles so fierce and intense that it should delight any action junkie, if not a rating stronger than PG-13.
In these fights, the hardy group takes on Goblins, Orcs and deadly Wargs, as well as a mysterious and sinister figure known only as the Necromancer. I know that if “necro” is part of the name, then death surely follows.
What I don’t know are the differences between a goblin, an orc and a troll. It may be an issue of size, but of this I am certain, these are some of the ugliest creatures to roam the Middle-earth universe.
As time goes on, the initially timid Baggins gains confidence and strength. These qualities are put to the test when Baggins meets the creature that will change his life forever, namely Gollum (Andy Sirkis).
Gollum is a weird little dude who lives in a cave. On the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Baggins, now alone with Gollum, discovers depths of ingenuity and courage that surprise even him.
Aside from Gollum’s playful yet oddly dangerous behavior, this creature mostly speaks gibberish and loves riddles. Baggins is put to the test on an intellectual scale.
The most remarkable thing to come from this encounter with Gollum is that Baggins gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring, one that holds unexpected and useful qualities. The simple, gold ring is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth, and so it will play a big part in the future.
Let’s face it: whatever carping comes from critics who take apart Peter Jackson’s efforts to bring J.R.R. Tolkien’s vision to the screen, the diehard fans will likely not care.
“The Hobbit” runs almost three hours, and so it demands a lot of attention as well as patience, at times. But from my vantage point, I would say the next installment will be worth seeing.
For the here and now, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” proves to be, at least for one who cared not so much for “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, an unexpected pleasure.
Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.
With his Scottish accent, tousled-hair and ruggedly handsome looks, Gerard Butler strikes all the right notes of charm and good humor for the starring role of a down-on-his-luck former soccer star in “Playing for Keeps.”
An opening montage of grainy video clips establishes Butler’s George Dryer as a superstar on the international circuit. He’s in the league of David Beckham and Pele (those are only names of famous soccer players that readily come to mind).
While “Playing for Keeps” may showcase the endearing magnetism of a carefree athlete, this comedy is not quite sure if it should focus on George’s romantic entanglements or his primary mission of rebuilding a relationship with his estranged son.
Retired from the game, George is a man adrift, now relocated to Virginia so that he can put his life back together and also reconnect, hopefully, with his ex-wife Stacie (Jessica Biel).
After a series of bad investments, George has to rent a guest house where he is always dodging the landlord. His latest plan to get back on his feet is to land a job as a sportscaster.
Though his initial attempts at parenting are not very encouraging, George tries to establish a relationship with his young son Lewis (Noah Lomax), who has never really known his absentee father.
Circumstances lead George to become the coach of Lewis’ soccer team. Naturally, George’s talent inspires the kids to perform much better than ever, leading to some winning games with rival teams.
Meanwhile, the roguish George draws attention from an adoring class of new fans – soccer moms, consisting of attractive single women as well as unhappily married ones.
Obviously, during his playing career, George was a womanizer who never lacked for female companionship. Now he’s got women like Judy Greer, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Uma Thurman pursuing him with zestful lustiness.
The dilemma is that George is trying fitfully to at last become an “adult,” while the flirtatious soccer moms become a distraction in his quest to bond with Lewis.
For another matter, George wants to prove to his ex-wife Stacie that despite his penchant for having a wandering eye, she is the only woman he ever loved.
Of course, an additional complication is that Stacie is soon to be married to live-in boyfriend Matt (James Tupper), a bland sort of fellow who is probably decent and caring, but not terribly exciting.
George also has to contend with a really pushy soccer dad (Dennis Quaid) determined to make him his new best bud, convincing George to give his son more playing time and involving him in some dubious adventures.
The soccer moms also get pushy. Greer’s Barb is all weepy and clingy. Zeta-Jones’ Denise is calculating, dangling the prospect of a job opportunity at ESPN in front of George. Thurman’s Patti, a married woman, offers nothing but trouble.
George does his best to fend off these advances, though it is obvious that this is no easy task for him. Still, despite his faults, he’s got his mind fixed on repairing his past bond with Stacie.
At a certain point, “Playing for Keeps” tilts from the father-son bonding amidst the distractions from the fawning women to a greater focus on George trying to rekindle the romance with Stacie.
George’s transformation from all-over-the-field playboy to reasonably reliable family man is not going to be a bombshell revelation to anyone.
And if anyone finds it surprising how the events unfold for George and Stacie, the educated guess is that you haven’t seen enough romantic comedies.
The biggest surprise might be that “Playing for Keeps” is being released during the run-up to the holiday season, where films in wide release are generally grander in scale. Consider the upcoming “The Hobbit” as an example.
“Playing for Keeps” may be formulaic and predictable, but it’s not without its appeal. While Gerard Butler is charismatic, it’s Jessica Biel who delivers the best, most credible performance.
Though it has its fun, “Playing for Keeps” is, regrettably, ultimately forgettable. You may wonder how people like Uma Thurman and Catherine Zeta-Jones decided this was a film worthy of their talents.
DVD RELEASE UPDATE
DVD releases of recent films often offer new life for decent movies that never gained appropriate notice or had a limited theatrical release.
Both may be true of “Why Stop Now,” an oddball comedy about the adventures of a young piano genius and his drug-addicted mom on a very bad day.
Piano prodigy Eli Bloom (Jesse Eisenberg) is on his way to the most important audition of his life, but first he has to drop off his mother Penny (Melissa Leo) at a drug rehab center.
But there’s one little complication. Since Penny’s not quite high enough and has to test positive to be admitted, mother and son end up at the door of her dealer Sprinkles (Tracy Morgan) in search of one last score.
Because Penny is in debt and Sprinkles is low on product, Eli unwittingly must play negotiator as the unlikely team hit the streets in search of drugs.
A screwball comedy, “Why Stop Now” is wacky and absurdly funny. Where else would you find obstacles in the drug search that include a Revolutionary War reenactment and a foul-mouthed sock puppet?
Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.
Among the most ancient uses for language are descriptions of places, when a person has experienced something he or she wants to tell somebody else about.
Some of these get condensed and transformed into poetry, and here’s a good example, by Susan Kolodny, a poet from the Bay Area of California.
Koi Pond, Oakland Museum
Our shadows bring them from the shadows: a yolk-yellow one with a navy pattern like a Japanese woodblock print of fish scales. A fat 18-karat one splashed with gaudy purple and a patch of gray. One with a gold head, a body skim-milk-white, trailing ventral fins like half-folded fans of lace. A poppy-red, faintly disheveled one, and one, compact, all indigo in faint green water. They wear comical whiskers and gather beneath us as we lean on the cement railing in indecisive late-December light, and because we do not feed them, they pass, then they loop and circle back. Loop and circle. Loop. “Look,” you say, “beneath them.” Beneath them, like a subplot or a motive, is a school of uniformly dark ones, smaller, unadorned, perhaps another species, living in the shadow of the gold, purple, yellow, indigo, and white, seeking the mired roots and dusky grasses, unliveried, the quieter beneath the quiet.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – This year’s Lake County Symphony Christmas Concert will feature not only the 60 piece orchestra playing traditional holiday favorites, but also vocal presentations by a number of nationally and internationally recognized artists.
The concert will take place on Sunday, Dec. 16, at 3 p.m. at Lakeport’s Soper-Reese Community Theatre, 275 S. Main St. It is sponsored by Clear Lake Performing Arts.
Joining the orchestra will be Shelly Trumbo-Mascari singing a medley of Christmas standards. Her recording and performing credentials include a nationally released solo album and movie trailers for Universal Pictures and NFL sporting events.
She has toured the U.S. and internationally on behalf of the U.S. Government, winning accolades along the way. In prior appearances Trumbo-Mascari has won the hearts of Lake County audiences.
Another local favorite, Carl Stewart, was chosen by Warner Brothers as a staff song writer, but also served as a judge for two years at the American Song Writers’ Festival and also sang leading roles in Carmen, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Man of La Mancha and many others.
Stewart is a true crossover artist, moving effortlessly from classical music to the country-oriented pop music favored by “Blue Collar” the local band he originated.
A graduate of Kelseyville High School, Sarah Cunningham studied with a number of nationally recognized vocal teachers before attending California State University Sacramento where she not only directed the school’s jazz ensemble, but also sang with its big bands.
She received her master’s of music degree in 2007, and returns to Lake County from Roseville for this performance, where she has thrilled music-lovers with her vocal presentations.
Another well-regarded local vocalist Walt Trumbo also will join in singing Christmas favorites with the Symphony.
The CLPA Youth Orchestra, directed by Susan Condit, will present two numbers – “Believe” from the Disney film “Polar Express” and “December Fanfare” a musical salute to the holiday season written by contemporary composer Dr. Andrew Dabczynski.
Surprise addition to this year’s program will be an opening number of “Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas” sung by an a Capella group calling themselves “The Men of Soper-Reese.” The group’s credentials have not yet been released except a note that they ‘approach their art with enthusiasm.”
John Parkinson, Symphony Conductor, has put together a diverse program that includes the famed “Christmas Concerto” written in 1690 by Arcangelo Corelli, with the notation added to the original score that it was “Made for the Night of Christmas.”
It opens with a small group called a concertina made up of violinists Andi Skelton and Eleanor Cook and cellist John Weeks, backed by the orchestra. As the program progresses the wind and percussion sections join in as they play many Christmas favorites such as Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride,” “Frosty the Snowman,” “White Christmas,” Mel Torme’s “The Christmas Song” and many others.
A symphony tradition, the audience sing-along, will be led once again by the vocal quartet Ear-Reverence who, in spite of their name, show proper reverence in leading the audience in singing Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus.” They are made up of Bill Bordisso, Valerie Reid, Nick Reid and Carol Cole Lewis.
Since the Christmas Concert is usually the most popular of the symphony’s season, Clear Lake Performing Arts suggest those wishing to attend get their reservations in early.
They can be made online at www.soperreesetheatre.com or by phone at 707-263-0577 or in person on Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Soper-Reese box office or at the Travel Center in the Shoreline Shopping Center on South Main Street, Lakeport.
As always youths under 18 are admitted free to the full-dress rehearsal at 11 a.m., while adults wishing to take advantage of this more casual presentation can do so for only $5.
General admission to the concert is $25 or $20 for CLPA members. A limited number of premium seats also are available for $30.
UPPER LAKE, Calif. – In the first of its annual “Concerts with Conversation” series, the Tallman Hotel in Upper Lake will host two informal concerts by bluegrass guitarists Rob Ickes and Jim Hurst in the Meeting House next to the hotel at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 10, and Tuesday, Dec. 11.
Originally scheduled for one evening only, the Tuesday show sold out early and a second event was subsequently arranged.
“We are fortunate to be able to schedule this world class duo for a stop in Lake County,” said Tallman owner Bernie Butcher. “We had more than a little help from our friends Pat and Debbie Ickes. Pat is Rob Ickes’ older brother and a mean banjo player himself with his band Bound to Ride.”
A Northern California native, Ickes moved to Nashville in 1992 and joined Blue Highway, the highly esteemed bluegrass band, as a founding member in 1994.
He is recognized as one of the most innovative Dobro players on the scene today, contributing signature technique and greatly expanding the boundaries of the instrument's sonic and stylistic territory.
Ickes won the International Bluegrass Music Association's Dobro Player of the Year award for a record-setting eleventh time in 2009. He is the most recognized instrumentalist in the history of the IBMA awards.
Hurst also is a multi IBMA award-winner. His vocal talents, multi-instrumentalist abilities and well-rounded stylings make him one of the most sought after musicians in Nashville. In addition to his own recordings, Hurst has supported the recording sessions of some of the best artists in country and bluegrass music.
One critic who saw Ickes and Hurst perform together in Nashville commented that “their ability to follow each other through an unannounced maze of spaghetti-like improvisation is beyond normal human capability.” Good videos of the two playing together are available on YouTube.
Subject to limited availability, tickets for these shows at $25 plus tax may be purchased by calling the Tallman Hotel at 707-275-2244, Extension 0.
